Your Right to Know

A Columbus clinic will no longer offer surgical abortions, reducing the number of abortion
providers across Ohio to eight.

The decision by Complete Healthcare for Women, on Cleveland Avenue, leaves Columbus with two
abortion clinics. As recently as last year, the state had 13 clinics that performed abortions.

Operators of the obstetric and gynecological practice, Dr. Mervyn J. Samuel and his son, Dr.
Milroy J. Samuel, did not return calls seeking comment. A clinic worker said the practice, which
opened 40 years ago, is not closing, but surgical abortions would no longer be available after
today.

Complete Healthcare has satellite offices in Pickerington and Westerville, but neither offers
abortions.

Unlike other clinics, which have closed after legal battles with the state over licensing
issues, Complete Healthcare for Women’s action appears to be voluntary.

The decision surprised abortion-rights supporters and opponents who have been closely
monitoring state licensing battles involving clinics in Cincinnati and Toledo.

Last week, a Cincinnati-area abortion clinic ended its fight with the state over a license
revocation and stopped performing surgical abortions.

The Lebanon Road Surgery Center in Sharonville was caught up by new state rules that say
clinics must have patient-transfer agreements but that also prohibit publicly funded hospitals from
having such agreements with facilities that provide abortions.

Center for Choice in Toledo recently closed for failing to secure a transfer agreement, and a
second Toledo clinic, Capital Care Network, is fighting closure over the same issue.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said Complete Healthcare for Women had no issues with the
state.

The clinic, like Columbus’ two other abortion providers, has a long-standing
hospital-transfer agreement with OhioHealth Grant Medical Center.

Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, said “anti-choice extremists”
had targeted the clinic and its doctors.

“These doctors have been harassed at their practice, leaflets calling them ‘killers’ have
been distributed in their neighborhood, and protesters have picketed a hospital where they have
admitting privileges,” Copeland said.

“No one should face this harassment for providing constitutionally protected health-care
services.”

“While many lives were lost at this facility, we do thank these doctors for ceasing to engage
in the practice of surgical abortions,” said Michael L. Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life.

“With countless options for pregnant women in central Ohio to receive real prenatal care at
free or reduced costs, the abortion industry is becoming more obsolete each day.”

The number of abortions performed in Ohio has steadily declined since 2000. According to the
Department of Health, 25,473 abortions were performed in 2012, the most recent data available. It’s
the second-lowest figure since the state began tracking in 1976.